ASHBURN, Va. — Those outside the Washington Commanders’ franchise have numerous questions about the defensive plan, and with good reason. There’s a new coaching staff with a defensive-minded leader in Dan Quinn. The significant roster shakeup means possibly eight different starters from Week 1 last season will open the upcoming campaign Sept. 8 at Tampa Bay.
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Among them is Frankie Luvu, the versatile linebacker positioned schematically as this group’s Micah Parsons. Quinn, defensive coordinator the previous three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, used Parsons throughout his front seven.
Where Luvu lines up will partially dictate when and where the coaches use players at all three defensive levels. No wonder the straight-shooting Joe Whitt Jr. has zero interest in revealing secrets.
“Why would I say that right now when people are looking? They’ll figure it out when we play,” Whitt said following Wednesday’s organized team activity session. “But we are happy, and I’m not trying to be smart, trust me. Believe me. But the advantage that we have right now is people don’t know, and we’re gonna keep that advantage until they figure it out.”
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Luvu isn’t the only player the first-time defensive coordinator, whose every utterance sounds like a motivational speech, is conjuring up opportunities for.
“You’re going to hear me talking about ‘feed the studs,'” the former Cowboys secondary coach continued. “We are designing our defense around the players that we have. I think if you’re limited to saying, ‘Hey, we run one scheme, and that’s all we have,’ no. You have the players that you have, and you make sure that you are putting them in the best position to play high-level football.”
Whitt emphasized this message at his introductory news conference in February: “You got to earn your right to be a stud so we can design things particularly for you.”
From a personnel perspective, defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne and linebackers Luvu and Bobby Wagner fall into that bucket. Former Cowboy Dorance Armstrong should be high in the otherwise muddled defensive end rotation. The secondary has youthful potential but appears in flux overall. Guess the other studs and starters as needed. Just don’t bother asking Whitt for help.
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“We don’t have 11 starters, OK? You are going to put this down, so don’t ask me who’s starting here. We have 17 to 18 guys. We’re going to go out there, we’re going to roll a deep crew and go out there and whoop people,” Whitt said.
Luvu’s capabilities will go a long way toward Whitt’s desired aggressiveness. Linebacker Jamin Davis, among the players the staff is eyeing at multiple spots, flashed a wide smile when asked about Luvu’s presence.
“He’s got a lot of juice,” Davis said.
Frankie Luvu is a problem 💪
📺: #NOvsCAR on ESPN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/zWM8hlwdPY pic.twitter.com/aK6SjJCPwx— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2023
Luvu’s official position might be best described as a chess piece, seeing as his pass-rushing skills (12 1/2 sacks the past two seasons) and traditional linebacker duties (125 tackles in 2023) have the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder projected into the here, there and everywhere role previously occupied by Parsons.
“What’s not to like about him?” Whitt said of Luvu. “He is the heartbeat of what competitive, hard-nosed, defensive football’s about. I remember he said, ‘Coach, just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.’ And he goes as hard as he can. I love that.”
The Cowboys used a 4-2-5 nickel package on 73.1 percent of their defensive snaps in 2023, per TruMedia (under head coach Ron Rivera, the Commanders were in nickel 61.1 percent of the time, and dime or six defensive backs 12.5 percent of the time). Of Parsons’ 864 snaps in 2023, he played at least 99 at five different spots, according to Pro Football Focus.
Luvu at linebacker likely means a traditional four-man front with Clelin Ferrell, Dante Fowler Jr. or KJ Henry opposite Armstrong. That is unless defensive tackle Johnny Newton lines up next to Allen and Payne whenever the second-round pick returns from a foot procedure, or Davis, entering the final year of his rookie contract, puts his hand in the dirt. The 2021 first-round pick is also working with the edge rushers in camp.
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When Luvu moves to edge rusher, perhaps Davis or intriguing fifth-round pick Jordan Magee (Whitt: “He doesn’t carry himself like a rookie”) will move next to Wagner. Then again, safety Jeremy Chinn, another free-agent signing, has the build and assertiveness to take turns at linebacker in dime packages. The 6-foot-3 Chinn’s hulking presence provides an intimidation factor as an extra rush defender at the line of scrimmage or in coverage next to second-year defender Quan Martin.
When asked what he sees as Whitt’s hallmark, Chinn stated, “run-and-hit-type defense.”
DC Joe Whitt Jr. on Bobby Wagner and the vets needing to help build the defense. https://t.co/uNSityjsjz pic.twitter.com/Tl1OQhsums
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) June 5, 2024
Darrick Forrest could join Chinn and Martin for three-safety looks, a staple of Quinn’s defense with Dallas. That would mean taking a cornerback off the field. Maybe that’s rookie slot corner Mike Sainristil, unless the second-round selection challenges outside corners Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Benjamin St-Juste and Michael Davis for snaps.
Whitt has thoughts on these and other potential combinations. One day, he’ll share the vision, or at least the football world will see the plan unfold on the field. That’s not in June during the final OTA week or next week’s mandatory minicamp. Martin said Whitt wants a “chatty, chatty defense” to enhance communication. Wednesday’s noisy but focused practice accomplished the mission.
As for determining how the schematic puzzle will come together, Armstrong, Dallas’ runner-up in sacks to Parsons last season, said of Washington’s version, “I don’t think it’s different. It’s a different type of style than guys here were used to. It’s a big change for them.”
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Whitt seeks help from Armstrong, Wagner and other seasoned players to help inexperienced teammates increase their comfort level. The coordinator is fine with sharing that talking point.
“I just told the defense it’s the vet’s responsibility that the young guys are going at the speed of the vets. All right? They have to make sure that that happens,” Whitt said. “We’re gonna get ’em to understand what they have but to play with the edge and tenacity we want.”
That’s no matter who’s on the field and in what capacity. That guessing game won’t end anytime soon. At least we know whoever the coaches identify as the defensive studs will be well-fed.
(Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)
